Accumulating mechanism



June 4, 1940.

D. Y. READ 2,203,306

AGCUIIULATING MECHANISM Filed July 1, 1937 7 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR DAVID Y. READ HIS A TORNEY June 4, 1940. D. Y. READ ACCUIULATING uncamxsu '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July l, 1937 INVENTOR DAVID Y. READ "flfiM H15 A TORNEY June 1940' D. Y. READ ACCUIIULATING uncamzsg Filed July 1, 1937 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 LNVENTOR DAVID Y.READ WZM HIVS A TORNEY June 4, 1940. D. Y. READ 2,203,306

' ACCUIIULA'I'ING uacnmrsu Filed July 1, 19:7 1 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR DAVID Y. READ HIS TORNEY June 4, 1940. D. Y. READ ACGUMULATING MECHANISM Filed July 1, 1931 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR DAVID Y. READ H1 ATTORNEY June 4, 1940. D. Y. READ 4 ACOUHULATIM MECHANISM 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July I. 1937 Y E N R O A 4 H Y B D. Y. READ Accvuum'nue NEGHAN ISII June 4, 1940.

Filed July 1, 193"! mvm'ron DAVID Y.READ 5 4W HIS TTORNEY Patented June 4, 1940 PATENT orrlc'E ACCUMULATING MECHANISM w David Y. Read, New York, N. Y., assignor to Remington Rand Inc., Buffalo, N. -Y., a corporation of Delaware Application July 1, 1937, Serial No. 151,417

16 Claims. (Cl. 235-137) This invention relates to adding and like machines and particularly to accumulating mechanism therefor.

The present invention consists of an accumulator unit mounted in a suitable framework so '.that itmay conveniently be engaged with and disengaged from an actuating means. The accumulator. unit consists of a plurality of combination accumulator-wheels and dials which are mounted for rotation upon a tubular casing..

This casing encloses all thetransfer mechanism for the accumulator and also encloses the detent mechanism for the accumulator wheels. The wheels may be rotatedin one direction to add or accumulate positive amounts and may be rotated in the opposite direction to accumulate negative amounts. Thus, the accumulator may be clas-;

sifled in general as a "direct subtractor, in which no fugitive one! mechanism is provided. One object of this invention is to provide accumulator wheels in which the gear teeth are eliminated.

Another object is the provision of an accumulator which will function properly at high operating speeds. f

A further object of the present invention is to enclose the entire transfer mechanism by the accumulator wheels.

Another object is the provision of a novel transfer mechanism which may be accurately operated at high speeds. v

A further object of this .invention is the provision of a positive detent for the accumulator wheels at all times-except when they are in mesh with their respective actuating racks.

One of the features of the present inventionis that it may be made in very small sizes.

Another feature is that the present invention may be used for subtraction as well as addition.

I 40 Another feature is that the present invention is exceptionally easy to assemble.

A further feature of this invention is that it may complete its transferring operations while the accumulator is being moved out of mesh from its actuating racks.

Other objects and structural details of this invention will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the-accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of the accumulator in normal position shown partly in section.

Fig. 2 is a right-hand side elevation of the 55 accumulator in normal position showing the side wall in full and showing a portion of the 'the framework of the transfer mechanism.

Fig. 10 is a detailed plan view of one of the spacing bars employed in the accumulator. 15

General structure Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 9, it is seen that the accumulator assembly is mounted upon a main accumulator shaft I. Loosely 90 mounted upon the shaft I is a series of internal frames 2, spaced apart, and held against move.-

nient in any direction by three spacing bars 2A (Fig. 1) one of which is shown in detail in Fig.

10. The frames support various parts of the :5 transfer mechanism; which will later be described in detail, and also support a tubular casing 3. The casing 3 has its front portion cut away, as shown in Figs. 9 and 3, so that the forward portions ofthe internal frames 2 may pro- 30 ject therethrough. The tubular casing '3 is formed (as is most clearly shown in Figs, 1 and 2) with four lugs 4 ateach end thereof. These lugs have small grooves, cut in their inner edges, for cooperation with a pair of locking plates 5. 35 There is one looking plate 15 at each end of the casing 3 and these plates are formed each with four high parts 6, a forwardly extending arm I, and an upright arm 8. Each upright arm 8 is formed, at its top, with an offset lug which is 4,0

adapted to engage in a slot 9, cut in the accumulator side plates ill. The side plates l0 and. locking plates 5 have similar slots ll cut therein to allow the accumulator shaft l to project at each end. The lugs 6, on casing 3, extend through slots in the side plates Ill. In assembling, the side plates l0 are slipped over the lugs 4 and shaft l and the locking plates 5 are, then placed against'the side plates ill at an angle of approximately forty five degrees variation from the position shown in Fig. 2 so that the high parts of the locking plates 5 are all aligned with the grooves in the lugs G. The locking plates are then given an eighth of a turn clockwise, as seen in Fig.2, to position them as shown. 5

of visible dials and accumulator pinions as will later be described in detail. Azzpair of main supporting frame walls l3 aremounted upon any suitable base structure '(not shown) and each wall I3 has cut, therein, a" slot I4 which runs from front to rear in the walls The slots I4 support and guide the movement of the main accumulator shaft I. 1

A pair of screws I5 extend through the frame walls I3 and directly into the slots I4. These screws I5 limit the forward and rearward sliding motion of a bar I6 which runs laterally acrossv the entire accumulator unit. The bar I6 extendsthrough slots in the accumulator side plates Ill and, as is best seen in Fig.2, it has small notches I! cut in its rear edge to receive the arms I of the locking plates. A pair of springs I8 tend, constantly, to urge the accumulator shaft I toward the bar I6. It is thus seen that, if the accumulator is moved forward or rearward in the frame walls I3, the bar I6 must move with it and that the movement of the accumulator will be limited by the screws I5.

Addition and subtraction As is best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the actu-,

ating mechanism for the accumulator wheels consists of ,a series of swinging sectors 20 to which are riveted a plurality of type bearing rack The accumulator is pushed into shown for this accomplishment, it is to be understood that the present accumulator can be used in many types of machines each of which will have its own particular actuating mechanism.

However, two means for manually moving the adding wheels into and out of engagement with their respective racks are shown. One is the aforementioned bar I6 and the second is a shaft 22. Shaft 22 extends through both frame walls I3 and is milled out along its middle portion. Screwed to this milled face is a U-shaped bar 23 (see Figs. 1 and 2) which bar is bent up at each end into a pair of arms 24. These arms are formed with slots 25 cut therein and these'slots receive opposite ends of the accumulator shaft I. Thus, if the shaft 22 is turned it will function to move the accumulator into and out of mesh.

To accumulate positive amounts, the actuating racks 2i are swung up to various positions by any mechanism which is suitable and the wheels are then thrown into mesh. The racks are now moved downto their normal positions thus turning the accumulator wheels in a clockwise direction (Fig. 2) as is old and well known. In order to subtract, the racks ii are left at normal and the accumulator is thrown into mesh. Subsequentraising of the racks will then turn wheels I2 in a counter-clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 2.

Transfer mechanism With particular reference to Figs. 1 and 5, it is, seen that each accumulator wheel I2 has cut therein, an annular groove 30. Each wheel I2 has a raised block ,3I upon its periphery. which block has, inscribed thereon, the numeral 1". Through this block 3I there extends inwardly a pin 32 and this pin lies directly within the annular groove 30. In the adding and subtracting position of the accumulator, which is shown in Fig. 5, a transfer-trip member 33, having a nose 34 thereon, lies in such a position that the nose 34 protrudes toward the front ofthe accumulator and lies within the annular groove ofthe accumulator wheel of the nextlower order. is to say, the transfer-trip 33, for a tens order accumulator wheel, lies with its nose 34 in the groove 30 of an accumulator wheel of the units order.

From the foregoing, it is evident that as the pin 32, on any accumulator wheel, passes its ascumulator wheels I2 may be easily seen .from

Figs. 1 and 9. With particular reference to Figs. 3 and 4, it is seen that," in the normal position (Fig. '3) or the position of rest of the accumulator, the shaft I lies in its foremost position in slots 35 which slots are formed in the frames 2. Loosely mounted upon shaft I, is a plurality of detents 36 which engage in openings 31 in the Each transfer trip 33 30 accumulator wheels I2. is formed with a pair of pins 38 thereon. These pins 38 extend both rightwardly andleftwardly from the trips 33. The rightwardly extending portions are supported and guided by a pair of slots 39 in the frames 2. The leftward portions of pins 38 extend through apair of detent guides 40 and form pivots for these guides. Extending That from the left-hand side of the trip 33 is a lug 4| which lies'adjacent the detent 36 and holdsit flush against the frame 2.

The guides 43 are formed with raised portions 42 whichlie flush against an internal frame 2. The guides 40 are each equipped with a coiled spring 43 as is shown in Fig. 3. The springs 43 normally 'hold the guides 40 and the trip members 33, upon which the guides are mounted, in the Fig. 3 position.

A restoring member 44 is made with two rightwardly extending pins 45 therein. These pins 45 are shown dotted in Fig. 3 and they extend into guide slots 46 in the frames 2. Extending leftwardly (Fig. 2) from each restoring member 44 is a pair of lugs 41 whose functions will be later described in detail.

Transfer operation Inactuating the accumulator during adding or subtracting operations, the entire accumulator unit is moved rearward by shaft 22 (see Figs. 1 and 2) until the bar I6 rests against the rear studs I5. At this time the teeth of the segments 2i are in proper mesh with the openings 3? in I the wheels I2. The shaft 22 is rotated slightly farther and this brings the accumulator shaft I from its normal position, shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 5 wherein, the shaft I lies are still in meshbut, as the shaft I continues to move forward, the wheels are pulled out of mesh and continue forward until the bar I6 (see Fig. 1) comes to rest against the forward studs: I6 as shown.

Referring particularly to Figs. to 8 inclusive,

Fig. 5 shows the parts as they normally stand with the wheels I2 in mesh with their actuating racks. In this position, it will be seen that the rear part of the detent 36 lies midway between the lugs 41 on the restoring member 44.

Assume, for example, that in Fig. 5 all the wheels I2 are standing in their cleared position.

Assume further that l'f is now, subtracted from the wheel of units order. This moves the wheel of units order to the Fig. 6 position. As the 20 the lower spring 43 which then forces the nose of the lower guide 40 into a groove 49 which groove is out along the entire length of the tubular casing 3. There is also an upper groove 49 for the upper guide 40. The rearward movement of the lower guide 4Ilcauses its rear part to push against the restoring member 44 and swing this member clockwise about a point 50. This brings the upper lug 41, thereon, to a place where it is almost contacting a rear edge 5| on the detent 36. The upper lug 41 now acts upon the edge 5| to supportthe detent 36.

The description, given thus far, has covered the actions of the transfer parts of the tens wheel from the beginning to the'middle of a carry or transfer cycle. In the second half of the transfer cycle, the accumulator shaft I moves forward in the accumulator until it assumes the position shown in Fig. 7. All the parts, when once moved to the Fig. 7 position remain there for the rest of the cycle. As the detent 36 moves forward (Fig.6) in the second half of the transfer cycle, its point first enters the opening 31 which is directly in line with it and, as the shaft I and detent 36 continue their forward motion, an ear 52,- on the detent 36 of tens order, contacts the lower pin 33. As the nose of the lower guide 40 is now being pressed by spring 43 into the lower groove 49, the pin 38 will not move. However, the shaft I still continues'its forward motion, and ear 52 being held by pin 38, the

result is that the detent 36 is cammed clockwise is completed afterwards. Due to the fact that a transfer is completed while the accumulator is being drawn toward its normal position or position of rest, a great amount of speed is gained.

The various parts of the transfer mechanism are restored to normal position on the next cycle which follows a transfer cycle. In a restoring cycle, the shaft I moves toward the rear of the machine as it would at any time that the accumulator was being meshed with the actuating racks. As the shaft I moves rearward within the accumulator, the upper heel 63 of the detent 36 contacts the upper lug 41 on the restoring member 44 and swings the member 44 aboutits pivot point 60. In the first part of its counter-clockwise movement, a cam edge 54 on the member 44 acts upon the rear point of the lower guide 40 and cams this guide slightly counter-clockwise about its pivot pin 38 so that the forward nose of the guide no longer rests in the groove 49.

Fig. 8 shows the parts just after the shaft I has started rearward in a restoring cycle. Continued motion of the restoring member 44 pushes the lower guide 40 to a place where the spring 43 takes effect to move the guide to its normal position witha snap. While I have called the above cycle a restoring cycle, it is to be understood that restoring occurs at the first part thereof and that regular addition or subtraction may be accomplished in this cycle as in any other.

While transferring was herein described in connection with subtraction, it is evidentthat the Totaling Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a bent rocking-plate 60 extends laterally in front of the accumulator wheels I2 and is cradled iln the accumulator side plates III. A spring-6| (Fig. 2) tends constantly to urge the rocking-plate 60 counter-clockwise. Loosely mounted upon the shaft 22, near its righthand end, is a forwardly extending lever 62 which has a rightwardly bent over end 63. This end extends through a slot in the right-hand wall I3. The lever 62 has a slot 64 near its middle and a large headed screw 65,(see Fig. 1) extends through this slot and into the wall I3 thus holding the lever against lateral movement on'theshaft 22.

To .clear the machine, the accumulator is moved into mesh with the actuating racks. The lever 62 is thenswungclockwise as seen in Fig. 2 thus moving the rocking plate 60 clockwise into the path of the lugs 3| on the-accumulator wheels I2. The actuators 20 are then moved upward until all the lugs 3I contact and are stopped by the rocking plate 60. The accumulator is then moved out of mesh and is in cleared condition.

While I have described what I consider to be a highly desirable embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that many changes inform couldbe made without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I, therefore, do not limit myself to the exact form herein shown and described, nor to anything less than the whole of 'my invention as heteinbefore set forth, and as hereinafter claimed.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

. 1. The combination of an accumulator including a tubular casing, and accumulator wheel mounted upon said tubular casing, a shaft movable within said tubular casing, an accumulatorwheel detent, mounted upon said shaft and normally engaged with said accumulator wheel; actuating mechanism for said accumulator wheel and means for moving said shaft to engage said accumulator wheel with said actuating mechanism and disengage'said detent and to disengage said accumulator wheel from said actuating mechanism and engage said detent with said accumulator wheel.

2. An accumulator including a main accumulator shaft, which shaft is movable within said accumulator, a tubular casing mounted upon said tent, for said 'wheel of higher order, mounted.

shaft, a pair of rotatable accumulator wheels of successive denominational order mounted upon said tubular casing: an accumulator-wheel deupon and operable bysaid shaft; a transfer trip member operable by said accumulator wheel of lower order, a pair of spring-pressed detentguides movable from a normal position to an abnormal position by saidtransfer trip-member,

and a restoring member operableby said ac cumulator wheel detent for restoring said guides to normal position after they have been displaced.

3. An accumulator including a main accumulator shaft, a tubular casing mounted'upon said shaft, transfer mechanism enclosed by said tubular casing and including accumulator-wheel de tenting mechanism mounted upon said shaft, and an accumulator wheel mounted upon said tubular casing, said wheel being formed formed with an annular groove therein and a pin extending into said groove for conditioning said transfer mechanism for operation.

and operable by said wheel of lower order for conditioning thevtransfer mechanism to effect .tens transferring, said'transfer-trip member be ing formed with a [pair of pins, thereon, which pins guide the movements of said transfer-trip member and also support said detent guides.

5. The combination of a main accumulator shaft, a tubular casing mounted upon said shaft, a pair of accumulator wheels of successive denominational orders mounted upon said tubular casing, actuating mechanism for said accumulator wheels, tens transfer mechanism actuated by said accumulator wheel of lower order and contained within said tubular casing for effecting tens transferring said transfer mechanism including a detent for said accumulator wheel of higher order, and a restoring member having a pair of lugs upon one side thereof and adapted to be moved by said detent to restore said transfer mechanism. I

6. An accumulator including a tubular casing, an accumulator wheel mounted upon said tubular casing, a shaft movable within said tubular casing, and a detent mounted upon said shaft and movable thereby into and out of engagement with said accumulator wheel.

'7. An accumulator including a tubular casing, a pair of accumulator wheels of successive denominational orders mounted upon said tubular casing, a shaft movable within said tubular casing, tenstransfer mechanism contained within said tubular casing and operable by said wheel of lower order to effect tens transferring to said wheel of higher order, sai'd tens transfer mechanism including an accumulator wheel detent mounted upon said shaft and movable thereby into and out of engagement with said wheel of higher order, and a movable trip transfer element operable by said wheel of lower order.

8. An accumulator including a tubular casing,-

a pair of accumulator'wheels of successive denominational orders mounted upon said casing aaoaaoe and rotatable thereupon in one direction to accumulate positive amounts, and rotatable in the opposite direction to accumulate negative.

amounts, actuating mechanism for" said accumulator wheels, a shaft'movable within said-tubular casing, means for moving said shaft to engage and disengage said accumulator wheels and saidactuating mechanism, an accumulator wheeldetent mounted upon said shaft, and a' tens transfer trip element contained within said tubular to conditionv said detent to rotate said wheel of higher order.

9. An accumulator including a tubular casing, a pair of accumulator wheelsof'successive denominational order mounted upon said tubular casing, a shaft movable within said tubular casing, a detent mounted upon said shaft and movable thereby into and out of engagement with said accumulator wheel of higher order, a transfer trip member operable by said wheel of lower casing and operable by said wheel of lower order order, and a pair of spring pressed detent guides .mounted upon said transfer" trip member and serving normally-to guide said detent.

10. The combination of anaccumulator wheel made with a plurality of openings therein for cooperation with actuating mechanism, an annular groove cut in the inner periphery of said accumulator wheel, a pin in said accumulator -wheel and extending into said annular groove,

tens transfer mechanism encircled by said accumulator wheel, said transfer mechanism including a trip element operable by said pin, zeroizing mechanism and a block formed on the outer periphery of said accumulator wheel for nominational order mounted upon said tubular casing, a shaft movable within said tubular casing, an accumulator wheel detent for each of said accumulator wheels and mounted upon said shaft, acuating mechanism forsaid accumulator wheels, means forengaging and disengaging said accumulator wheels and said actuating mechanism, and means operable by said'wheel of lower order for conditioning the detent associated with .said wheel of higher order to turn said wheel of lator wheels, means for engaging and disengaging said accumulator wheels and said acutating mechanism, and means operable by said wheel of lower order, for conditioning thedetentassociated with saidlwheel of higher order to turn said wheel one digit space in one direction for effecting tens transferring, when positive amounts are being accumulated and for, conditioning said detent'to turn said accumulator wheel one digit space in the opposite direction for effecting tens transferring when negative amounts are being accumulated, while the detent associated with said wheel of lower order holds its wheel against rotation in either direction. I

13. An accumulator-including a tubular casing, a pair of accumulator wheels of successive denominational order mounted upon said tubular casing, a shaft movable within said tubular casing, an accumulator wheel detent mounted upon said shaft and movable thereby into and out of engagement with said accumulator wheel of higher order, actuating mechanism for said accumulator wheels, means for moving said shaft to engage and disengage said accumulator wheels and said actuating mechanism, means operable by said accumulator wheel of lower order for conditioning said detent to turn said accumulator wheel of higher order one digit space to effect a tens transfer, and means for causing said conditioned detent to effect the tens transfer upon movement of said shaft.

14. An accumulator including a tubular casing, a shaft movable within said tubular casing, a pair of rotatable accumulator wheels of successive denominational order mounted upon said tubular casing, an accumulator wheel detent mounted upon said shaft and movable thereby into and out of engagement with said wheel of higher order, a transfer trip member operable by said accumulator wheel of lower order, and a pair of spring pressed detent guides mounted upon said transfer trip member and operable by said transfer trip member to enforce turning of said accumulator wheel of higher order by said detent.

15. An accumulator including a tubular casing, a pair of accumulator wheels of successive denominational order mounted upon said tubular casing, a shaft within said tubular casing and movable transversely of its axis, an accumulator wheel detent mounted upon said shaft and movable thereby into and out of engagement with said wheel of higher order, said detent moving out of engagement with said wheel as said shaft moves out of its normal position and into engagement with said wheel as said shaft returns to normal, a guide for said detent, said guide tending normally to cause said detent to move along the same transverse line as said shaft, a notch cut in the inner periphery of said tubular casing, and means operable by said wheel of lowerorder for moving said guide out of its normal position and into engagement with said notch whereby said detent is caused near the end of its return movement to pivot about said guide and rotate said wheel of higher order one digit space.

16. An accumulator including a tubular casing, a pair of accumulator wheels of successive denominational order mounted upon said tubular casing, a shaft within said tubular casing and movable transversely of its axis, an accumulator wheel detent mounted upon said shaft and movable thereby into and out of engagement with said wheel of higher order, said detent movin out of engagement with said wheel as said shaft moves out of its normal position and into engagement with said wheel as said shaft returns to normal, a guide for said detent, said guide tending normally to cause said detent to move along the same transverse line as said shaft, a notch cut in the inner periphery of said tubular casing, means operable by saidwheel of lower order for moving said guide out of its normal position and into engagement with said notch whereby said detent is caused near the end of its return movement to pivot about said guide and rotate said wheel of higher order one digit space, and means operable by said detent when it is next moved to disengaged position for restoring said guide to its normal position.

DAVID Y. READ. 

